Group gets $1M to study 9/11 responder impact

The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research has been awarded a $1 million grant from the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, which is administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The funds will be used to study the physical, mental, and socioeconomic impact of the WTC disaster on responders. Another goal is to identify the link between socioeconomic status and health among responders.

The September 11 attacks created hazardous environments and situations for firefighters, police officers, construction workers, clean-up workers, and others exposed to airborne toxins, as well as other physical and mental hazards.

According to Institute investigator Hyum Kim, previous reports have not made comparisons between responders and the general population and have not looked at socioeconomic impact.

The study will compare the health of WTC responders to that of the general population in the United States and in the New York metropolitan area. Researchers hope to identify new diseases and high-risk groups and to get information that will contribute to future surveillance guidelines.